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Closing would be bonus for Coffey (and stuff) 2/22

Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Closing would be bonus for Coffey
Team would be happy just to have him earn a roster spot
BY JOHN FAY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

SARASOTA, Fla. - A lot of people are ready to anoint Todd Coffey as Cincinnati's closer.

Reds manager Jerry Narron could see that happening. But he would settle for something less this year.

"Todd Coffey's an outstanding person," Narron said. "He's been a closer in the minor leagues. There's a big difference between the minor leagues and the majors.

"We're not putting any pressure on him. We're hoping he pitches well enough to make the club."

Coffey, a 25-year-old right-hander, went 4-1 with a 4.50 ERA last year. But he allowed 84 hits in 58 innings and, after striking out an average of more than one batter per inning in the minors in '04, struck out only 26.

Coffey went to the Instructional League in an effort to regain his split-finger fastball. If he does, he could be in the mix to be the Reds' closer.

"I'm hoping, at worst, he'll as good as he was last year," Narron said. "If he can do that, we've got a guy we can trust to come in with guys on base."

ALL-STAR '09? Chief executive officer Bob Castellini says the Reds have not decided whether to place a bid with Major League Baseball on hosting the 2009 All-Star Game.

"We haven't even thought about it," he said. "We have to prove to Baseball that we're a sound franchise operationally."

The '09 game is the next one available to a National League franchise.

Castellini is busy shoring up things in the Reds' Florida operation. He said the club is in the final stages of purchasing a Florida State League franchise from the Boston Red Sox.

The Reds had a team in the FSL last year, playing out of the Sarasota.

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